Welcome to Sott.net
Thu, 21 Oct 2021
The World for People who Think

Earth Changes
Map

Attention

Elephant crushes mahout to death in Thailand

Tamar Lapin
New York Post
Wed, 29 Nov 2017 10:39 UTC
Mr Riangngern was killed by Ekasit (pictured giving rides to tourists at the zoo) in a five-minute attack while his horrified wife watched on

Mr Riangngern was killed by Ekasit (pictured giving rides to tourists at the zoo) in a five-minute attack while his horrified wife watched on
Dumb-no!

A celebrity elephant — who has starred in movies and commercials — crushed its owner to death at a zoo in Thailand on Monday, according to reports.

"The elephant suddenly turned back and used his trunk to grab the victim. Then the elephant used his trunk to crush him," Wuthichai Muangman, acting director of the Chiang Mai zoo, told AFP.

Somsak Riengngen, 54, was unchaining his star mammoth, named Ekasit, so the tusker could drink and bathe, when the 5-ton animal attacked him.

The 32-year-old pachyderm took a couple of steps forward before changing course and hitting his owner with his trunk and tusks.

Witnesses said the attack lasted more than five minutes before handlers were able to restrain the elephant, local outlet Khaosod English reported.
      Read More...
Snowflake

It's still only November! Snow and freezing temperatures expected in France as polar air heads south


Connexion France
Mon, 27 Nov 2017 12:00 UTC
Snow to hit most of France this week Cars, pavements and a street in Toulouse covered by a blanket of snow

Snow to hit most of France this week. Cars, pavements and a street in Toulouse covered by a blanket of snow
Météo-France forecasts that most parts of the country - particularly the east - will see some snowfall in the coming days

Snow is expected to cover large parts of France on Wednesday, according to Météo-France.

The national forecaster has predicted that snow showers will hit large swathes of the country from Hauts-de-France in the north to Nouvelle Aquitaine in the southwest as polar air heads south. Even Paris is expected to get its first dusting of the winter.


Comment: Polar vortex or impending ice age?

      Read More...
Cloud Grey

Odd lenticular cloud formation over Colorado (PHOTOS)


Strange Sounds
Thu, 23 Nov 2017 12:00 UTC
colorado lenticular cloud
© Jackie Carpenter via 9News
What is that for a bizarre cloud formation in the sky over Colorado?
Mother Nature loves to demonstrate that, even if you happen to be the most seasoned of outdoors enthusiasts, she still has the ability to blow your mind ... if you're lucky enough to stand in exactly the right spot, at precisely the right time. Now look at the trippy cloud formation captured above Arvada, Colorado on November 23, 2017 and tell me what you see.
      Read More...
Cloud Precipitation

Tropical cyclone kills 19 on Indonesian island of Java


Otago Daily Times
Wed, 29 Nov 2017 07:12 UTC
Java flooding
© AFP Photo/National Disaster Mitigation Agency
This handout picture released by the national disaster mitigation agency shows the flooding that killed at least 11 people in Pacitan, East Java province, Indonesia, Nov. 28, 2017.
A tropical cyclone killed 19 people on the Indonesian island of Java, officials said on Wednesday (local time), with most of the victims caught under a landslide.

Video footage showed rivers overflowing and roads and villages submerged in brown water after the storm struck on Tuesday.

"Nineteen people have died, thousands of homes have been flooded and other damage has been caused," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the Disaster Mitigation Agency, said on Twitter.

Two nearby airports were briefly closed but had since reopened. Flights around Indonesia have been disrupted due to the eruption of a volcano on the neighbouring holiday island of Bali to the east.

Comment: Earlier this month a rare tornado and other deadly flash floods hit Indonesia.

      Read More...
Attention

Mount Agung eruption: Indonesian authorities expand evacuation zone, close airport


Fox News
Tue, 28 Nov 2017 20:26 UTC
Bali volcano
© Reuters
A villager walks as Mount Agung volcano erupts in the background in Kubu, Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia.
Indonesian authorities on Monday expanded the established danger zone around an erupting volcano that is hurling ash 9,800 feet into the atmosphere and whose explosions could be heard over seven miles away.

Experts said lava is welling up in the crater, sometimes reflected as a reddish-yellow glow in the ash plumes. The agency raised the volcano's alert to the highest level early Monday and expanded the danger zone to six miles. It said that a larger eruption is possible.

Spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told a news conference in Jakarta that the extension of the danger zone affects 22 villages and about 90,000 to 100,000 people. He said about 40,000 people have evacuated but others have not left because they feel safe or don't want to abandon their livestock.

"Authorities will comb the area to persuade them," he said. "If needed we will forcibly evacuate them." About 25,000 people were already living in evacuation centers after an increase in tremors from the mountain in September sparked an evacuation.
      Read More...
Question

Loud, house-shaking boom heard in northern Illinois

Mark Charvat
Q98.5
Mon, 27 Nov 2017 17:38 UTC
Mystery boom in IL
© townsquare media photo
Besides talking about turkey, shopping and football, over the Thanksgiving weekend, Rockfordians were also trying to figure out what were those loud noises that a lot of people heard heard early Sunday morning. We now have some possible explanations.

Around 2:00 a.m. early Sunday morning my social media feed was filled with people asking "what's that noise?" Many described the noise as a crazy loud 'boom.' Many people reported that houses and windows shook, as a result.

So what was it? No one is absolutely certain as to the cause. Rockford was not alone as these loud 'booms' were heard around the world over the long weekend.
      Read More...
Eye 2

Thousands of snakes overwhelm homes in Bangkok, Thailand

Richard C. Paddock and Ryn Jirenuwat
New York Times
Tue, 28 Nov 2017 17:02 UTC
Surapong Suebchai, a firefighter and snake handling trainer, demonstrating how to capture a king cobra. Bangkok’s fire department has answered tens of thousands of calls for snake removal this year.
© Amanda Mustard
Surapong Suebchai, a firefighter and snake handling trainer, demonstrating how to capture a king cobra. Bangkok’s fire department has answered tens of thousands of calls for snake removal this year.
Panarat Chaiyaboon was using the toilet in her downstairs bathroom in July when she felt a sharp bite on her thigh. She jumped up to see a scene straight out of a nightmare: an 8-foot python emerging from her toilet.

She rushed to the hospital, bleeding heavily, and still bears the marks from eight tooth punctures that were around half an inch deep.

That snake was captured. But a week later, Ms. Panarat's 15-year-old daughter found a second python in the same toilet. The daughter was so shaken, she went to stay with relatives.

It could be argued that snakes have always owned this corner of Thailand, and that the people of Bangkok are merely borrowing it from them. The main airport, Suvarnabhumi, was built in a place called Cobra Swamp, and the city itself took shape on the Chao Phraya River delta — a marshy reptile paradise.

But this year, the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department, which removes snakes from homes, has been busier than ever.

As of Monday, the department had received 31,801 calls this year for help in removing snakes. That is more calls than for all of last year (29,919), and more than three the number in 2012 (10,492).
      Read More...
Snowflake

Winter storm covers Hawaii summits in snow

Michael Brestovansky
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Tue, 28 Nov 2017 15:50 UTC
snow
Snow fell Monday on the summits of Mauna Loa and Maunakea after the National Weather Service declared a winter storm warning.

The warning extends through 6 p.m. today. Summits could see up to six inches of snow in total, although NWS meteorologist Leigh Anne Eaton said any significant accumulation is unlikely.

"It's probably going to be a snow-rain mix," Eaton said.

She said the storm is the result of a weather front of "enhanced moisture," which will sweep across the windward side of the Big Island, causing heavy showers throughout the island's east side and snowfall at higher altitudes.

Snowfall is expected to continue on the mountains throughout the week, with the weather service predicting an 80 percent chance of snow showers each day through Thursday night.

      Read More...
Cloud Precipitation

Hailstorm kills 2, injures 15 in Zimbabwe; one victim battered to death by large hailstones

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu
Chronicle
Tue, 28 Nov 2017 15:03 UTC
One of the Mangwe District homesteads destroyed by hail

One of the Mangwe District homesteads destroyed by hail
Two people died while 15 others were hospitalised following a hailstorm that swept through Mangwe District, destroying several homesteads.

A 53-year-old man from Mangwe died after a hut he was sleeping in collapsed while a 10-year-old boy was struck to death by huge hail stones during a storm which hit the area on Saturday night.

Mangwe acting District Administrator who is also the acting chairperson of the Civil Protection Committee, Mr Onismo Zvogara, said about 15 people had been admitted to Brunapeg Hospital after sustaining injuries.

He said the number of affected homesteads was yet to be established as the assessment was still ongoing.
      Read More...
Attention

Dead whale washes ashore near Melbourne, Australia

Ryan Tennison
Herald Sun
Tue, 28 Nov 2017 14:17 UTC
A whale carcass beached at Jubilee Point in Sorrento.
© AAP
A whale carcass beached at Jubilee Point in Sorrento.
A shark warning has been issued for a popular beach on the Mornington Peninsula after a whale carcass washed ashore.

Stunned beachgoers at Jubilee Point discovered the massive whale about midday.

Photos from the scene show a bloodied carcass up against rocks near the base of a cliff.

Emergency Victoria advised swimmers to "stay out of the water" at the popular Sorrento Beach, as sharks may appear to feed on the dead whale.

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning said nearby walking tracks were also closed while the carcass was removed.
      Read More...
Amazon Smile
Revolt! T-shirts